Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge - Nonprofit Relief Program

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DOEE is implementing a program to provide financial relief to eligible nonprofit organizations facing hardship with the payment of their Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge (CRIAC). The CRIAC Nonprofit Relief Program provides relief to eligible nonprofits, significantly reducing their CRIAC. The relief percentage available through the program is subject to change and the relief awarded to a property may be amended during the program year.

FY25 CRIAC Nonprofit Relief Program Opens September 3rd!

The application period for the Fiscal Year 2025 Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge (CRIAC) Nonprofit Relief Program starts on September 3rd, 2024. Due to the potential for limited funding, the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) will award relief on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible nonprofits are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible to secure their participation in the program.

The FY25 program application period will remain open until August 31, 2025.

To qualify, your organization must meet all three criteria:

Be a nonprofit in the District of Columbia with a real property or possessory interest tax exemption as a local charitable organization, a cemetery, a religious house of worship; or a continuing care facility (as determined by the District’s Office of Tax and Revenue).
Demonstrate financial hardship in paying the CRIAC. Organizations must demonstrate that their annual CRIAC is 1% or greater than their annual revenue, after expenses. Applicants must submit their IRS form 990 or provide information consistent with the filing requirements of an IRS form 990, as applicable.
Complete a stormwater mitigation project to help diminish the harmful effects of stormwater runoff by installing green infrastructure on their property or elsewhere in the District.

Program Application

Applications for the FY25 relief program are now available. Apply Online>>
or
CRIAC Nonprofit Relief Program Application (.pdf, also attached below)

Rate Relief for An Average Sized Nonprofit for Fiscal Year 2025

For an eligible nonprofit organization with 10 Equivalent Residential Units (ERUs), an example of the FY25 relief provided using offsite mitigation versus onsite mitigation is displayed below:

Mitigation Option	Annual CRIAC Bill	Annual CRIAC Relief	Offsite Mitigation Cost	Cost of GI Construction	Net Relief	Net %
Offsite Mitigation	$2,547.60	$2,038.08	$142	N/A	$1,896.08	74.4%
On site Green Infrastructure(GI)	$2, 547.60	$2,038.08	N/A	$550	$1,488.08	58.4%

^{CRIAC rate for a property which is billed for 10 ERUs at the} ^{FY25 CRIAC rate of $21.23/ERU (effective 10/1/2024)}
^{Y25 CRIAC relief rate of 80%}
^{Amount paid by property owner after receiving a rebate for rain garden installation through the RiverSmart Rebate Program}

Stormwater Mitigation Requirements

To meet the mitigation requirements on their property, applicants must:

Plant one tree per ERU (1,000 square feet of impervious surface), or
Manage the stormwater runoff from 10% of the impervious area on the property through the installation of green infrastructure.

To meet the mitigation requirement elsewhere in the District, applicants must:

Choose to have a portion of their approved relief withheld (equal to the market value of 10 Stormwater Retention Credits (SRCs) per ERU) to fund green infrastructure installation elsewhere in the District, or
Purchase and retire 10 SRCs per ERU.

The following pages provide additional information on programs that can help with installing eligible green infrastructure on your property:

River Smart Communities – A DOEE program that helps nonprofit organizations and houses of worship with the installation of green infrastructure practices that reduce pollutant-laden runoff to local waterways and educate the public about water pollution.
Partnering with SRC Aggregators – You can add your name to the “Property Owners” list or contact an “SRC Aggregating Business” if you are interested in partnering with someone to install green infrastructure on your property.
Managing your own green infrastructure installation:
- SRC Price Lock Program – Lock in an SRC sale price with DOEE for your green infrastructure project in the MS4.
- SRC eligibility and certification process
- FAQ: Generating and Selling SRCs
Watershed Protection Resources & Programs Informational Flyer